1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a film loading mechanism of a camera and, more particularly, to an automatic loading mechanism for loading a roll film in a camera and automatically winding an end portion of the film around a film take-up spool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Film loading mechanisms, such as those disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Sho/62-156641 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Sho/62-21525, are known as conventional mechanisms for loading a roll film in a camera by an easy operation. Also, a self-driving type easy-loading mechanism which sets a film cartridge accommodating a roll film in a camera and which loads the film by rotating a film spool in the film cartridge so that the film is fed out of the film cartridge has been proposed.
On the other hand, a frame-size-changeable camera capable of photographing while selecting one of an ordinary size and a smaller size of an image frame on a film size has recently been provided. For example, this type of camera is arranged to photograph an image on a 35 mm width roll film and in accordance with one of an ordinary 36.times.24 mm frame size called Leica size, and a smaller frame size, e.g., 36.times.13 mm size called a panoramic size. As a camera of this type, a camera capable of using each of a film having perforations and a film having no perforations has also been proposed. Using a film having no perforations in such a camera is advantageous because the image frame size can be increased.
In a case where the above-described roll film is used by being loaded in a camera automatically or loaded in an easy-loading manner, a problem described below is encountered. That is, as is well known, the roll film has an end portion, called a leader portion, which is reduced in width by being partially cut along one side. This portion is formed in order that the film can be smoothly wound around a film take-up spool at the time of film loading. In a film easy-loading mechanism, when this leading end portion having a small width passes over an aperture of a camera body, i.e., a photographing opening of the camera body at an initial film feeding stage, there is a risk of the leading end portion entering the aperture, resulting in a film feeding failure or damage to a curtain surface of a focal plane shutter.